Tens of millions of people along the East Coast are covered in thick snow and more snowfall is expected, while residents across the country from the northern plains to the tip of Maine are bracing for dangerously cold temperatures.
A winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service was in effect for parts of the mid-Atlantic region until Monday morning, and warnings began Sunday afternoon in New England.
Heavy lake-effect snow is expected to fall in Western New York from Monday into Wednesday morning, with some areas, including Oswego along Lake Ontario, potentially seeing 2 to 3 feet of snow.
Mark Chennard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland, predicted that up to 70 million residents could be under some type of winter storm warning in the coming days.
The return of the Arctic explosion
Sunday's snowfall was just the start of a week of chaotic weather.
Much of the East Coast will endure some of the coldest temperatures this winter.
Areas from the Rockies to the Northern Plains will experience colder-than-normal conditions for several days, with temperatures expected to drop from -30 degrees Fahrenheit to -55 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday.
Freezing temperatures are expected to reach as far south as Oklahoma and the Tennessee Valley.
Minnesota residents were asked to dress appropriately and carry survival kits for travel.
Kristi Rohrwagen, director of homeland security and emergency management for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, also urged drivers to keep their gas tanks full and their cellphones fully charged to stay in touch with loved ones. .
“This is not something we've never experienced before. It's just a reminder that it's cold in Minnesota,” Rohrwagen said.
Meanwhile, wind gusts in Washington, D.C., are expected to exceed 30 mph and temperatures are expected to drop into the 20s, Chennard said.
In response to this prediction, President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony was moved to the Capitol Rotunda.
Like earlier this month, this cold snap is being caused by a disruption of the polar vortex, a ring of cold air that is normally trapped around the North Pole.
Chennard said the cold air will weaken as it moves south and east, but temperatures will still be in the teens to 20s in the mid-eastern United States Monday into Tuesday.
The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will also see highs in the teens to 20s, lows in the single digits below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, and wind chills below zero.
Unusual conditions with a mix of snow, sleet and cold rain
Temperatures dropped in the south early this week, and up to 30 million people could experience a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain starting Monday.
The unusual conditions are expected to extend from Texas to northern Florida and the Carolinas.
Impacts are expected to begin Monday night in Texas and spread to the Gulf Coast and Southeast through Tuesday and Wednesday.
Behind the storm is a combination of frigid air and low pressure over the Gulf Coast, dumping heavy snow across northern Louisiana just south of Interstate 20 and into Mississippi, near Interstate 10. A mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain is possible. Corridor from Houston to Mobile, Alabama.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry on Saturday declared a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather, urging residents to be prepared and pay attention to the forecast.
